Machine for grooving knitting-machine needles



(No Model.)

W. H. STEWART. i" MACHINE FORGROOVING KNITTING MAGHINE NEEDLES.

No. 557,169. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

NITED STATES XVALTER H. STElV ART, OF FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

MACHINE FOR GROOVING KNITTING-MACHINE NEEDLE S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,169, dated March31, 1896. Application filed September 9, 1895. Serial No 561,927. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. STEWART, of Franklin, in the county ofMerrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machines for Grooving Knitting-Machine Needles,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for grooving that class ofknitting-machine needles which are equipped with latches, the groovesbeing made to receive the latches.

The invention has in view to provide a machine of increased capacity andefficiency for performing this work; and to this end it consists in anumber of novel constructions and combinations of parts which arerecited in the appended claims.

The drawings which accompany and form part of this specificationillustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 shows a top planView of the same. Fig. 3 shows a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4and 5 show, respectively,a sectionalized side elevation and an edgeviewof part of a grooved needle which has been through the machine.

The letter a designates a suitable base mounted on legs a and supportinghead and tail stocks a and b, in the former of which is j ournaled ashaft or arbor d, carrying affixed to its middle portion a pulley (1,adapted to receive power from any suitable source. Said arbor has at itsinner end a tapered center (1 and a dog 6, fastened to it at the base ofsaid center and projecting out along the same. The tail-stock is boredto receive a center j, which is longitudinally adjustable in saidtailstook and designed to be fixed at different adj ustments therein.The two centers support an arbor g, suitably formed at its end to engagethe centers and shouldered near one end and screw-threaded at theopposite end to receive a nut h. Between the shoulder and the nut areclamped a gang of circular grooving-cutters 2', with separating-washers,and these cutters are positively rotated in one direction by theengagement of the doge with a pin e projecting from the arbor.

Between the head and tail stocks there is arranged upon the base a acarriage j, which is laterally adjustable on said base and regulated asto position by means of long screws j, journaled in the head and tailstocks and engaging the carriage, said screws having thumbpieces j intheir outer ends. The carriage j is made somewhat in the shape of atrough and receives a second carriage k of similar form, and which isboth vertically and longitudinally adjustable in the carriage j, screwsm being provided to regulate the adjustment.

Between the sides of the carriage 7; there are arranged side by side anumber of blocks 12, which are supported at one end bya pivotrod 07,, onwhich the said blocks are independently movable. At their opposite endsthese blocks rest upon cams 0 and are pressed into engagement therewithby springs 0, surrounding pins 0 which are fastened to the blocks andproject into openings in a bridgepiece it, fastened to standards risingfrom the carriage k. The cams are set on a shaft 19, which is journaledin ears 1) on the carriage 7c and carries a pulley p and the said camsare differently set on said shaft, so as to throw their high parts outof alinement into a sort of stepped order. Thereby they are caused toact progressively on the blocks to raise them one after anotherintooperative relation with the cutters.

The blocks are formed in their upper sides with needle -holdingchannels, there being preferably a plurality of channels in each blockto allow for needles of different thicknesses. A small block 4* is setin the end of each groove for the needle 3 to come against, so that itwill not slide inward while being cut.

The shaft 13 is turned by means of the pulley 19 through the medium ofthe belt or any other desired connection with the source of power. Asthe shaft 19 rotates, a like motion is given to the cams o, and as thelatter are differentially set on the shaft they will consecutively actupon the respective blocks a to raise the same and bring the needlesheld thereon into engagement with the cutters. The further rotation ofthe cam 0 permits the free end of the blocks a to drop. The operator canthen remove the needle .9, which has been slotted, as at s, and insert anew blank.

The number of blocks 01. maybe varied at Will. They may beoperatedsingly, ,as shown, or in sets of two or more.

By my machine I am enabled to progressively feed one or more blanks at atime to the action of the cutters, thereby providing a continuouscutting of the blanks and economizing labor, since the time of theoperator is kept employed in removing the cut blanks or needles andinserting new ones. The number of blocks n and their arrangement,whether singly, as shown, or in sets, will. depend upon the output thatis desired for the machine and the capacity of the operatorto insert andremove the needles or blanks.

The operation will be apparent. The needles to be grooved are placed inthe channels of the blocks, and the carriages are properly adjusted.Then the cams are set in motion and they progressively move the needlesagainst the cutters which form the grooves s in the needles.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a Way ofconstructing and using the same, though Without attempting to set forthall of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use,What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a gangof circular cutters and means for supporting and rotating the same, of anumber of supports for the Work arranged beneath the cutters and beingseparately movable into and out of operative relation therewith, andmeans for progressively moving said supports into operative position,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a gang ofcircular cutters, and means for supporting and rotating the same, of anumber of blocks pivoted at one end and extending under the cutters,each block constructed to hold one or more needles, and a set of camsarranged to act on said blocks respectively, and move them toward thecutters, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a gang ofcircular cutters, and means for supporting and rotating the same, of anumber of blocks pivoted at one end and extending under the cutters,each block constructed to hold one or more needles, and a set of: camsarranged to act on said blocks respectively, and move them to- Ward thecutters, said cams being differently set on a common shaft, and adaptedto progressively advance the blocks, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

4. In a needle-machine in combination, a series of circular cutters,means for supporting and operating the same, a series of blanksupportingblocks, a series of cams arranged to act on said blocks and to move thempro- I gressively toward and away from said cutters, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 10th day of August, A. D.1895.

IVALTER II. S'lElVART.

Witnesses:

JAMES E. BARNARD, FRED A. EASTMAN.

